Lies you've been told about getting sick and how to get better

By Alix Martichoux

on January 25, 2019 4:00 AM

MYTH: Going out in the cold with wet hair can cause you to catch a cold

There is no scientific evidence that being outside in the cold, with wet hair or otherwise, causes you to catch a cold. "We call it a cold, but that's just the name of it. Colds are caused by viruses, and actually viruses don't necessarily propagate any better in the cold than they do in warm weather," Dr. Russell Vinik, an internal medicine doctor at the University of Utah, said in an interview with the school.

The reason we get sick more in the winter isn't actually because it's cold, explains Dr. Vinik. It's because we're inside more and closer to other people — and their germs.

MYTH: Going out in the cold with wet hair can cause you to catch a...photo-16470461.189255 - |ucfirst

MYTH: You can get the flu from a flu shot

According to the Center for Disease Control, that's just not true. Most flu vaccines are made with an inactivated form of the flu virus, which aren't infectious. Recombinant flu vaccines are made with a single gene from the flu virus to produce an immune response without getting you sick.

MYTH: You can get the flu from a flu shot
According to the...photo-16765697.189255 - |ucfirst

MYTH: Fine, if it doesn't cause the flu, the vaccine can at least cause a cold or fever

The CDC acknowledges that some people report fevers, headaches or muscle aches after getting the flu vaccine. But here's the catch: so do people who don't get the flu vaccine.

"In randomized, blinded studies, where some people get inactivated flu shots and others get salt-water shots, the only differences in symptoms was increased soreness in the arm and redness at the injection site among people who got the flu shot. There were no differences in terms of body aches, fever, cough, runny nose or sore throat," explains the CDC.

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MYTH: People get sick after flying because of the recycled air on planes

The International Air Transport Association claims the air filters on board planes are actually pretty good at getting rid of microbes in the air. Plus, only half the cabin air is recycled, according to Business Insider, and the other half is pumped in from the air outside. But flying can still put you at an elevated risk of getting sick because you're in such close proximity with other passengers. Plus, the surfaces, like seat-back tables and armrests, are filthy.

There's no evidence that bundling up or layering on the blankets will help you break the fever. If you're feeling hot, you should put a cool compress on your head to stay cool. If you're shivering, you can pull an extra blanket over your body. Neither of these things will help get rid of the fever, but Dr. Gustavo Ferrer, president of Intensive Care Experts, explains it'll help you feel more comfortable as your body fights the fever.

MYTH: You should sweat out a fever
There's no evidence...photo-7645286.189255 - |ucfirst

MYTH: Feed a cold, starve a fever

The old saying suggests you should stay hydrated and eat food when you have a cold, but refrain when you have a fever. Doctors say staying hydrated and getting proper nutrients is good for you whether you're suffering from a cold or a fever.

MYTH: Feed a cold, starve a fever
The old saying...photo-16568602.189255 - |ucfirst

MYTH: Chicken soup helps you heal

If you're not following the bad advice of "starving" your fever, chances are you're slurping up some soup to make you feel better. And if it makes you feel better, that's great. But there's nothing special about chicken soup that helps with a cold or flu, according to Harvard Medical School. Soup and other warm liquids can help soothe a sore throat, but that's about it.

If you feel an itch in your throat, do you immediately start popping Vitamin C supplements? Too little, too late.

Dr. Vinik explains: "So there is some data that says if you take vitamin C every day, you may reduce your overall cold durations for the year by about 1-2 days. So if it's that important to you, consider taking it every day and then you might see some benefit. But reaching for the vitamin C just when you are starting to feel sniffling, probably not going to do you a lot of good."

People say milk and other dairy products make you extra phlegmy when sick. Gross? Definitely. True? Only sort of. "Drinking milk may make phlegm thicker and more irritating to the throat than it would normally be, but it doesn't cause the body to make more phlegm," Dr. James Steckelberg told Parents.com. His advice is to drink or eat dairy products if they make you feel better (like ice cream for a sore throat) but avoid them if they don't.

Echinacea, an herbal supplement made from coneflower, can be found in pill or liquid form. The largest study of the popular herbal remedy finds it won't help you get over a cold any sooner. The study of more than 700 adults and children suggests the tiniest hint of a possible benefit, about a half day shaved off a weeklong cold and slightly milder symptoms. But that could have occurred by chance.

MYTH: Echinacea will help you fight a cold
Echinacea, an...photo-2013055.189255 - |ucfirst

MYTH: Exercising while sick helps you sweat out toxins

You can't sweat out whatever's making you sick, whether it's a cold, flu or fever. What you really need to do is stay hydrated and get rest. If you're feeling just a little off, mild exercise is probably okay.

Flu season can extend all the way through May, so even in the dead of winter or early spring it could still be helpful to get the vaccine. The CDC says it takes two weeks for the flu shot to be effective.

MYTH: You can still get the flu even with the vaccine, so...photo-16758871.189255 - |ucfirst

MYTH: Wearing a face mask will prevent you from catching the flu

Patients who have the flu often wear masks to prevent spreading the sickness, but does it work the other way around? You catch the flu through virus droplets in the air or on a surface. So wearing a mask may keep you from breathing one in through your nose of mouth. But if you touch an infected surface, then touch your face later... you could still be in trouble.

MYTH: Going out in the cold with wet hair can cause you to catch a cold

There is no scientific evidence that being outside in the cold, with wet hair or otherwise, causes you to catch a cold. "We call it a cold, but that's just the name of it. Colds are caused by viruses, and actually viruses don't necessarily propagate any better in the cold than they do in warm weather," Dr. Russell Vinik, an internal medicine doctor at the University of Utah, said in an interview with the school.

The reason we get sick more in the winter isn't actually because it's cold, explains Dr. Vinik. It's because we're inside more and closer to other people — and their germs.